Emily and Preston- Married!!

I could write a book about Emily and Preston!  As you will see when I start posting some of their pictures in this blog, I really liked them a lot!    I love working with all of my clients.  Emily was no exception in the fact that I loved working with her, she was great!  However, in so many she was the exception.  To fill you in on a little behind the scenes stuff, we spent pretty much the entire day together for her bridal session- another GREAT post soon to come.  She was open to suggestions and being creative, which as a photographer, gets everyone involved excited!  We literally spent the day venturing out pretty much over about 1/3 of the state of Alabama.  By the time we finished, I felt like we had been friends forever.  She is a  fun, funny, adventurous person and someone that you just love to be around. She is also very positive, very real and very genuine.   Preston is equally as awesome and although I didn’t get to hang out with him as much, it was easy to tell why all of Emily’s friends had been on “Team Preston” for years!

All of the wonderful, positive qualities really were put to the test for the first part of their wedding day.   They had an outdoor wedding at the gorgeous Alexander City Amphitheatre.  Their wedding was the first to be held there.  The location could not have been more beautiful- rolling, grassy hills that met the horizon, and a bluff overlooking Lake Martin where the ceremony took place,  all in all it is a naturally beautiful place.   I had joined them for the rehearsal dinner the night before and was so excited about the wedding.  I just kept praying the weather forecast was wrong and it wasn’t going to rain.  The day of the wedding we were supposed to start getting ready for pictures about 3:00.  I woke up that morning and dang it,  it was raining!  I am about an hour away from the ceremony location and where I was, it was on and off, with a peak of sun now and then.  I said a prayer and headed out.  As I was driving to Alex City, it was raining or overcast the entire way and I just kept praying for it to please stop and go away.   I was the first to arrive at the Amphitheatre.  It was about 2:45 and literally I sat in the car for the next 15 minutes wondering what in the world we were going to do.  I will say that I have photographed weddings in the rain but this was not just some sprinkles.  This was a downpour.  There was wind, thunder and huge, pounding, big, fat, pouring raindrops!  Everywhere!   Her mom arrived right at 3:00 and I hopped out to go see what the “new plan” was going to be.  She had just spoken with Emily, who was on her way, and she said Emily was still optimistic and had said “it will not rain on my wedding!”  Okay, I will admit, a little part of me went pessimistic-  I honestly thought the girl was was in denial.  Sorry Emily, I will admit that now   As we are waiting,  in my mind, I start planning for all of the “what-if” scenerios of how we can do this in the rain without shelter or where we can go and basically I am trying to come up with as many creative suggestions as I can so I can be prepared to offer them if needed.  I was trying to think of every scenerio.  Offering a day after session was not an option because Preston is a Marine Fighter Pilot and they found out shortly before their wedding that he was being stationed in Japan for the next two years.  This is a Saturday and they were flying back to California on Monday morning and from there going to Japan.  However, all my secret stress was not needed.  All I can say is Emily must have some connection.  She arrived at the wedding and only for a tiny little moment did I see a little waiver in her optimism.  She just kept being positive and they whole time she was getting dressed, she just kept saying ” it is going to be beautiful.  The rain will stop and the sun will come out.”  Wellllllll…., was she ever right!  About 15-20 minutes later, the rain stopped, the sun started shining and the sky turned to a beautiful shade of blue with awesome puffy clouds and everything got back to normal.  Their pictures are some of my favorites ever!

what a sweetie!

One of my many many favorites from the wedding!!

Hot guys in uniforms who want you to look at them and take their picture, gotta love my job!!

She looks so happy and excited!

Love this one! I told you the sky was gorgeous!

Gorgeous Ceremony!

Do you see what I see? I thought it was neat that you could see their ceremony in the reflection of grandad's glasses.

Such sweet expressions!

XOXOXOXOXO

LOVE!

I previously posted this one as the original and now with a little extra effect. Probably one of my favorite images ever!

Well hello gorgeous couple =)

=)

First dance moments are some of the best!

More great moments from the first dance

As the sun went down, the sky behind them turned a surreal shade of blue. It looked like it has been painted into a background. It was beautiful. Sweet moments with the parents during their dances.

This one was taken after it was completely dark but the sky was still amazing.

The reception after dark

Well, there you go.  I warned you there were a lot of them!  I have so many other favorites but I just can’t add them all.  This weekend we will be celebrating July 4th!  I would like to ask everyone reading this to say a prayer for Emily and Preston  and all the other service men/women and their families as they devote their lives to protecting our freedom!  From me and my family, thank you Preston and Emily and everyone else involved in giving yourself to keep us all safe!  You are awesome!  And of course, thank you for letting me get to know you and share in your wedding day!!